The invention refers to a switching apparatus for switching compressed video streams. More specifically the invention refers to a switching apparatus for switching compresses video streams, whereby the switching apparatus comprises at least two inputs, each input being operable to receive an input video stream from a camera, an output for outputting an output video stream, whereby the input video streams are compressed video streams, whereby each compressed video stream is represented by a sequence of groups of frames, whereby each group of frames comprises a key frame and at least one inter frame, and a switching module operable to receive a switch request and to switch the input video streams in the output video stream, so that the first video stream of the input video streams is stopped and a second video stream of the input video streams is started. The invention also refers to a conference system with the switching apparatus and to a process for switching compressed video streams.
Conference systems are used to support discussions in meeting rooms or plenary halls, whereby the conference systems usually comprise a plurality of delegate units for participants of the discussion. Each delegate unit comprises a microphone, so that the participant can speak into the microphone, whereby the speech signal as an audio signal is amplified by the conference system and emitted by loudspeakers or headphones, so that the other participants can listen to the speech signal.
Such a conference system with a plurality of delegate units is for example disclosed in the document EP 1686835A1. The delegate units of the conference system are connected by a audio communication network.
It is furthermore known, that conference systems comprise a display for displaying the active speaker in a conference. Especially in large conferences with a plurality of participants more than one camera is used for viewing the different active speakers to be displayed on the display.